Education - As introduced, terminates the dyslexia advisory council and directs the advisory council for the education of students with disabilities to advise the department of education on matters related to dyslexia; terminates the energy efficient schools council and creates an office of energy efficient schools within the department; expands student eligibility for an individualized education account; revises other various provisions of law related to education. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter 21; Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 13; Title 49, Chapter 15, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 16, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 17; Section 49-2-203; Title 49, Chapter 3, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 4; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 16; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 18; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 15; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 22; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 23; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 30; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 34; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 42; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 81; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 3 and Section 68-204-110.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Tennessee consolidates dyslexia and energy councils while expanding Education Savings Account eligibility, potentially shifting special education focus and increasing school choice options.

Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2026

#education

Legislative bill overview

SB 2228 consolidates dyslexia oversight by eliminating a dedicated dyslexia advisory council and transferring its responsibilities to the existing disabilities advisory council. It also replaces an energy efficient schools council with a new state office focused on school energy efficiency. The bill expands eligibility for individualized education accounts (likely Education Savings Accounts) and modifies numerous education-related statutes across Tennessee's education code.

Why is this important

These changes affect how students with dyslexia receive specialized attention and support, potentially either streamlining services through consolidation or reducing dedicated focus depending on implementation. The expansion of individualized education accounts could increase education choices for more families, while restructuring energy oversight may impact long-term school infrastructure sustainability and cost management.

Potential points of contention

Dyslexia advocacy loss: Eliminating a dedicated dyslexia council may reduce specialized attention to this common learning disability, though adding it to disabilities oversight could be seen as efficient consolidation or deprioritization

Education Savings Account expansion: Broader eligibility may increase school choice but could divert funding from traditional public schools or create equity issues if accounts don't fully cover costs for lower-income families

Council restructuring trade-offs: Converting an energy efficiency council to an office may improve implementation but could reduce stakeholder input and oversight on environmental/cost sustainability goals